Serious question: Why only one novel (since Listener faced an unfortunate, perinatal demise )? Is it that you simply prefer other formats of fiction? CLV was a fun, great read and I'd like more.Non-serious question: Jam or Jelly?

Right now, what is the most attractive thing about working on a project for you?

Given the state of my year -- and the NDAs I'm still under -- all I can say is, right now, the most attractive things about new projects is that they be 1) something I haven't done before 2) something I can say something through and 3) that they be very short indeed!

You've obviously had dozens and dozens of books with a wide array of concepts, but it's probably fair to say that there's an impression out there of what a "Warren Ellis comic" entails (black humoured hard SF, revisionist superhero comics etc.). Have you any pet projects that you haven't been able to try because publishers felt they were too "out there" or too far outside of your usual work? I've always been curious about this, so thanks for providing the opportunity to ask.

A lot of your characters I've noticed are people that generally investigate, whether they be archeologists, journalists, private eyes, astronauts, etc. that are investigating some aspect of how things work in the world.

If you weren't writing for a living, would you be doing any of the these things instead?

When you're starting a new story how do you decide on what to name the characters?

That is so complex, for me, as to be almost unanswerable. Weirdly overdeveloped instinct, if you like. Sounds. Character background. That which evokes. While trying not to end up with character names that'd make even Don McGregor throw up in his mouth. I do sometimes overdo it.

For instance: I'm working on something right now where I think I've nailed the character name finally. Birch. Birch = wood = connotes a degree of strength and basic groundedness. But also birching = flagellation. Also, "John Birch Society," skeevy and untrustworthy. And it's a hard, sharp word. There's a lot about the character that unpacks out of the name.